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The aim of this book is to illustrate, graphically, that it is perfectly possible to combine a successful and fulfilling career in with motherhood, and that there are no rules about how to do this. On each page you will find a showing on one side, the career path of a research group leader in academic science, and on the other side, important events in her family . Each contributor has also provided a brief text about their research and about how they have combined their career and family commitments.

This project was funded by a Award from the Royal Society

1 Foreword

It is well known that women are under-represented in careers in These rules are part of a much wider mythology among of science. In academia, considerable attention has been focused on the both at the PhD and post-doctoral stages in their careers. paucity of women at lecturer level, and the even more lamentable The myths bubble up from the combination of two aspects of the of affairs at more senior levels. The academic career path has academic science . First, a quick look at the numbers a long apprenticeship. Typically there is an undergraduate , immediately shows that there are far fewer lectureship positions followed by a PhD, then some post-doctoral research contracts and than qualified candidates to fill them. , the mentors of early research fellowships, and then finally a more stable lectureship or career researchers are academic scientists who have successfully permanent research leader position, with promotion on up the made the transition to lectureships and beyond. These people are ladder to follow. usually extremely enthusiastic about their (see below) and can't imagine that anyone would want to do anything else. Indeed A major crunch point for women comes at the appointment to many of them assume that if you end up in any other career it must lectureships, which are scarce, but subsequent promotion also seems be because you failed to get a lectureship. to be problematic, leading to the metaphor of the leaky pipeline with the under-representation of women increasing at every career This attitude is ridiculous. There are many fulfilling and exciting stage. Official for the academic 2005/06 show 23% careers for those with a research science training, both inside and of lecturers, 13% of senior lecturers and readers and just 7% of outside academia, of which an academic lectureship/research group in science subjects are women. The figures are gradually leader position is just one. This combination of strong competition improving, but none the less, they are not good, and much hand for lectureships coupled with a prevailing attitude that they are wringing has ensued. It is easy to find analyses about why it is so the only job worth having has an extremely damaging effect. hard for women to succeed in academic science. Many contributory about what you must do to succeed abound. In terms factors have been convincingly identified. Frequent among them of motherhood, the usual idea is that if you have children before are the highly competitive atmosphere of research science and the you get your lectureship you might as well forget it. This is patently difficulty in combining a demanding job with family commitments. untrue, however it is a widely held belief.

These analyses are important. They can help to define the issues The myths discourage women, but I think the 'win-a-lectureship- more precisely and to suggest measures to improve the situation. or-fail' attitude is much more damaging than just that. Given the However, they have another, less positive effect. If aspiring women many career options available to research scientists, it creates deep scientists are always reading about how difficult it is to succeed, and unnecessary anxiety, and men and women on average respond is it any wonder that they opt for alternative career paths? I have differently to this anxiety. Men tend to fight to avoid perceived often spoken to young women scientists who accept as that it failure, whilst women tend to sidestep to avoid the perceived need is almost impossible to combine a career in academic science with for aggressive competition. Put crudely, men are too scared to opt motherhood, and if it is to be attempted at all, there are strict rules out, women are too scared to opt in. This leaves both genders in about how to do it. careers that may not be the best for them.

2 To solve this problem early career research scientists need to be is simply untrue. It is not only perfectly possible, but also there are freed to make the decisions right for them. There are clearly two absolutely no rules about how to do it. parts to balancing this equation. On the one hand, all researchers must receive advice, support and encouragement to identify and The aim of this book is to illustrate these points. On each page, work towards whatever career path they prefer. And on the other the career path and family life of a research group leader hand, the myths about the trials and tribulations of the academic in academic science are plotted on either side of a single timeline. career path must be dispelled. This book is a specific contribution to Each woman has also provided a brief description of her research this latter effort. interests and of how she combined research and family life. It was not difficult to find participants for this book. Although the I am not claiming that academic science is not a competitive career. proportion of women in academic science is below 50%, the number It has to be. We are spending taxpayers' and charity-givers' money of enjoying these careers is substantial. The 64 women in on our research projects. There is less money available than there this book are a somewhat random sample and they are presented are research ideas, so a competitive process to try to ensure that the in no particular order. If there was any method at all involved it was money is spent in the best possible way is essential. This rigorous principally focussed on variety. of research ideas is an important part of science and keeps standards high. The job is also most certainly demanding, The 64 participants have taken many different routes to their but it is so exciting and rewarding that most relish the current positions. Some did not start their research careers until after challenges that research brings. Most of us are constantly deeply their children were older, some took an extensive career break while grateful for the opportunity to contribute to scientific endeavour, their children were young, some worked part for substantial finding it exceptionally fulfilling. It is for this that it is parts of their careers, many found excellent childcare support from frustrating to talented women scientists turning to other their partners, their family, or professional childcare providers. careers (albeit valuable and important ones) because they think they Many comment that the and flexibility characteristic of must if they want a reasonable work-life balance. academic science make it much easier to combine with motherhood than many other . Everyone agrees it is very hard work, For many of us the of work-life balance is rather very enjoyable and very fulfilling. problematic. The phrase suggests that your work has nothing to do with the rest of your life. I consider my work to be an integral part of my life that complements the other things I do, including being a . This will certainly not be the case for everyone, but I don't want women to choose other options because they think it is impossible to combine a career in academic science with family life. The idea that women cannot thrive in the world of academic science, successfully combining a vocation for science with family life

3 Sabbatical at the MPI Twins start secondary school Anna Amtmann Golm, Family re-united Anna & Dominik in Berlin, Pawel & Tymon in Glasgow 05

Senior Lecturer

Pawel Lecturer and Head of Bioinformatics, FBLS, of Glasgow

Lecturer, FBLS, University of Glasgow

Move to Glasgow 00 Six maternity leave Twins start primary school

Tymon & Dominik born Research 95 My group investigates the molecular Post-doc mechanisms that allow to adapt Meet Pawel Herzyk, also post-doc Department, York, UK in York (Protein Structure Group, to nutrient deficiency and salt stress. Experimental PhD Göttingen Department) approaches range from patch clamp and enzymatic assays to microarrays and metabolomics.

Erasmus student, , Barcelona, Spain Career MSc Biology Göttingen, Germany 90 My career is based on enthusiasm, determination, hard work and luck. Having twin boys was tough but minimised the number of maternity leaves and turned the lab into a heaven of peace... Pawel and I have always had an equal share in childcare and household. Being in the same job means we understand the stress and the satisfaction that comes with it, and the personal commitment that it requires.

4 Beth Jefferies Research My work explores how language and memory processes are organised in the brain. I study patients who have damage to particular brain regions. I also use a technique called transcranial magnetic Appointed senior lecturer, stimulation to briefly disrupt the function of small areas of Birth of Meredith, the cortex in healthy volunteers (see photo). 6 months maternity leave, returned to work 4 days a Career RCUK Fellowship, 05 When Meredith was a baby, my work as a research was very flexible and I was able to stay at home with her at least one a week. My Post-doc, University of Manchester husband also switched to part-time work: PhD, he found he really loved this role and is now her main carer. BA, Experimental , 00 Married Paz

95

5 Deputy Director of MRC Centre in Neuromuscular . Tom started Kate Bushby in Became Co-ordinator of TREAT- Liverpool NMD EU Network of Excellence

Appointed Senior Personal Chair in Lecturer at the Neuromuscular University of 05 Newcastle 00

95 MD awarded

Awarded MRC Clinician Scientist Research Fellowship Jenny born The neuromuscular research group Qualified in with MSc awarded in is a multidisciplinary team involving commendation and began Genetics with distinction, clinically based and researchers. training jobs in Dundee, commenced MRC 90 We focus on the molecular genetics of limb- Edinburgh and Glasgow training fellowship Moved to Newcastle girdle muscular dystrophies and related disorders. to a lectureship for Having contributed to the identification of some Jimmy, our son Tom of the genes underlying these heterogeneous 85 Married Jimmy Steele was born , the emphasis is moving towards Met Jimmy Steele understanding the functions of these genes and Left Liverpool (dental student and developing treatments. to study husband) medicine in Career Dundee 80 I am a firm believer of 'anything being possible' for women in SET, but 2 things are important to combine this with a good family life. First and foremost, is a supportive and understanding partner- my husband is also a so we understand the pressures we are both under. Second, is stable childcare- we have had the most fantastic nanny. I have chosen to work 80% time since Tom was born, and this has been my safety valve- I don't think I would have been as happy without this one day to meet the children from school and just have time to catch up. Most people would not know I work part time- the other key is efficiency, but part time work is a luxury that some can't afford.

6 Director, Oxford Centre for Judith Armitage Integrative Systems Biology

Georgina Research starts 05 University I have always been fascinated by the of single celled , particularly bacteria, and their apparent ability to make decisions. My research has concentrated on the environmental sensing mechanisms controlling their direction of movement, and more recently combining molecular genetics, and in vivo microscopy Fellow of Merton College. with structural biology, bioinformatics and mathematical modelling to develop 00 Fellow of UCL predictive models of sensory networks at both single cell and population levels. Professor of Biochemistry Career 95 I never really considered any career but scientific research. John becomes Chair of Neurophysiology and then Head I met my husband while we were undergraduates and of Division of , have lived with the "2 body problem" ever since. University of Since obtaining permanent positions we have not Elizabeth born worked in the same city, and with the arrival of our daughters decided I would take on the primary 90 day to day of the family (with a Appointed lecturer, Georgina born day nanny when the were pre-school) Department of and we would live in Oxford and John would Biochemistry, commute. While academic life is flexible, University of Oxford Relocate to Oxford, John moves to St.Mary’s commuting for 20 has not been easy and Fellow of St.Hilda’s Paddington as Wellcome SRF for John and when the girls were young 85 going to conferences meant leaning on Awarded grandparents and friends to get them Lister Institute Research to and from school etc. On the positive Fellowship and side, we have exciting careers and have started research two resourceful and independent on Rhodobacter motility daughters. PhD in Microbiology UCL. Awarded Quain studentship in Biology at 80 UCL to continue research

BSc Hons, UCL in 75 Microbiology, met future husband, John Jefferys- Married John 7 a neurophysiologist Awarded Cyril Hilsum Medal by the British Society Sally Day Parents moved nearby Ben started secondary school 05 Julian seconded to work Senior Lecturer in Birmingham for a year, but only temporarily, so we didn’t !

00 Nanny took maternity leave, during the sabbatical Amy born, Research maternity leave, My research is on the Lecturer in Electronic and followed by 1 Electrical , UCL sabbatical application of liquid crystals in displays and for other applications. Liquid crystals are organic Ben was born and took 9 liquids with interesting electro-optical effects and 95 career break to develop their applications means that , and have to work together. I am interested particularly in the optical properties and how to Married improve liquid crystal displays, as well as making other devices work, such as tunable focal length lenses and optical filters Royal Society University and switches for . Research Fellowship, UCL Senior Scientific Moved to where Officer in Liquid Julian had settled to Career Crystals and work with the Forensic Working in a University certainly offers a lot of flexibility as to Displays group at Science Service RSRE Malvern when and where to work; it is standard practice for people in 90 London to work at home some of the time. So this has worked Seconded to RSRE Malvern well with children, although a full time nanny was essential with to research applications of liquid crystals Julian travelled to Holland pre-school children; it meant that I could really work at home. It’s Research at Thorn EMI and then to research not easy, as any working mum will tell you, but I wouldn’t enjoy behaviour Central Research being at home all of the time. I think the children like knowing that DPhil in at Oxford University their mum is developing new , but I do make sure there’s time for other hobbies - like making costumes! 85 Met Julian, who was 8 studying at Oxford Marian Holness

Research I apply developed in the material to rocks. I try Promoted to understand their by examining thin rock slices under to Reader the . My main interest at is the process of solidification of molten rock under volcanoes.

Career Promoted to 05 Both our children went to full-time nursery at the age of Senior Lecturer 4 months. I am responsible for dropping off the children Elected to a Fellowship at school and picking them up from the childminder of Trinity College, Edward born. Stephen at 5:30, so my working day is shorter than that of Cambridge, and appointed Senior Tutor of many of my colleagues. But I find the total escape promoted to Lecturer Jesus College, Cambridge from work into domestic duties provides an 00 Arthur born immensely creative environment from which my Returned to research has benefited. My first sabbatical Cambridge to take year was spent in Cambridge due to up an Assistant the impossibility of re-locating Lectureship the family, but we hope to spend the next one abroad when my Royal Society University Research Met my future husband, husband is no longer Fellowship, Edinburgh University 95 Stephen Siklos (a ), Senior Tutor. Post-doc in Edinburgh University in Cambridge

PhD in Earth Sciences, Cambridge University 90

BA in Natural Sciences, Cambridge University

85 9

Rosie goes to nursery, maternity leave ends Claire Carmalt and Stephen starts new 05 job as Principal Research Rosie Born, Scientist at Summit maternity leave plc – all on the same day! Reader, UCL Victoria starts school

Senior Lecturer, UCL Lecturer, UCL Victoria goes to nursery Royal Society of Chemistry Meldola Medal Victoria born, maternity leave Postdoctoral Research, University Royal Society Dorothy Stephen moves to Argenta of Texas at Austin USA Hodgkin Fellowship, , Harlow to take up University College 00 Team Leader position PhD Newcastle upon Tyne London (UCL) 95 Married Stephen Met Stephen Stephen Wren, a appointed a medicinal Medicinal Research chemist at Xenova, Slough BSc Chemistry, My research is Newcastle upon Tyne aimed at developing new highly volatile precursors to deposit films of materials and to investigate in detail the properties of the resulting films. The 90 films are deposited by chemical vapour deposition and typical properties tested include gas sensors and conductivity

Career I waited until I had gained some funding, publications and a research group before having children. This worked well for me because I was initially spending long in the laboratory. Now I spend a lot of time managing my research group, writing proposals and publications and I am able to work from home sometimes. This flexibility has really 85 helped as the commute to London, work and caring for a young family makes life very hectic!

10 Elected President of International Pat Monaghan Society for Behavioural Ecology Corin starts Joint Research Director, Institute of 05 secondary school Research Biomedical and Life Sciences, Glasgow Kiloran starts My research centres on life history trade-offs, and how these are Chair in Animal Ecology, secondary school influenced by environmental factors. This involves studies of growth, University of Glasgow 00 reproduction and longevity, mainly in birds. I collaborate with Fellow of the Royal molecular biologists and endocrinologists. I am also involved in Society of Edinburgh Corin starts school conservation related research. Corin moves to our village Kindergarten (which has an out of school club too) Kiloran starts school Career 95 I delayed having children until it felt right. Having children helped me prioritise my work, which then Corin born improved considerably! Field work became more difficult, but I also have interests in laboratory- Glasgow University based questions. Neil and I have Chairs in the nursery opens same department, and share all aspects of Kiloran born family life. Having excellent, reliable childcare available in conveniently located nurseries made everything much easier. 90

Married Neil 85 Lectureship Glasgow Met my Neil gets a PhD Durham 80 husband Neil permanent position in Glasgow in Glasgow

75

BScZoology Glasgow

11 Jean Beggs C.B.E. for services to science Royal Society Research Professorship Biochemical Society Novartis Medal and Prize Royal Society 05

Paul goes to senior school Professor of , 00

Elected to Fellowship of the Royal Society Simon leaves school; we buy the house next door and renovate it Elected to Fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 95 University of Edinburgh Professorial Research Fellow Paul starts Research nursery school After developing an Royal Society Senior Research & Simon starts efficient gene Fellow, University of Edinburgh senior school Elected member of EMBO system for yeast cells, I Royal Society University Research became interested in RNA Fellow, University of Edinburgh splicing. The Birth of Paul 90 and regulation of splicing in yeast is still my main Simon starts primary school focus, along with recent Beit Memorial 85 Ian gets job in Edinburgh/I resign forays into systems biology. Fellowship for Medical Lectureship, lectureship & move to Edinburgh Research Imperial ARC Breeding College, Institute, Cambridge Career London Postdoc University of Edinburgh I have been extremely fortunate to 75 have received Royal Society Fellowships, PhD University of Glasgow 80 Simon born – we especially, after resigning a lectureship to We move to Cambridge share a nanny with a return to Edinburgh with my husband. He has We move to London neighbouring family been extremely supportive of my career, which BSc University of Married Ian the same day he was vital to me. We believe in having good domestic graduated in Medicine Glasgow support, nannies when the boys were young, au pairs later. 70 We still have an au pair who helps with our dogs. 12 Amanda Cooper-Sarkar Professor

Research Reader Somehow having worked quietly on parton distribution functions in the proton 05 for years I got back fully into research and became a recognised world expert in this field. University Research Lecturer, 00 Career University of Oxford My daughter was very ill in her early months, so I couldn't work. Adopted our second I took up a tutorial position at St Hilda's, with the idea that I child Harry in 1997, Supernumerary Fellow, St could combine undergraduate teaching with childcare, soft- maternity leave Hilda’s College and Lectureship peddling on the research. at St John’s College 95

Left physics to Beale Fellow and join Eklavya, Senior Tutor in an educational Physics, St Hilda’s College, Oxford Royal Society Fellow, in Bhopal, India National 90 Laboratory for Senior Scientific High Officer, Rutherford Physics, Appleton Lab Became pregnant with Commonwealth Exchange Tsukuba, 85 our first child, Shanti, Fellow, Tata Institute of Research Japan and came back to the Associate, Senior Fellow, Fundamental Research, Bombay UK for her birth Rutherford CERN, Geneva DPhil , Oxford Appleton Lab, UK 75 80 Met Subir, Married also a Subir BA Physics, Oxford

70 13 Leverhulme Trust senior fellow OBE Elizabeth starts university 05

PPARC senior fellow

Alison starts Elected Fellow of the Royal secondary Society of Edinburgh school Research Professor and Head of the group, Galsgow My research Santa Barbara, California 00 has focussed on Reader, Glasgow the frustrating but Elizabeth starts Appointed to a secondary school fascinating problem lectureship at 95 Alison starts Elizabeth and Alison of how to pin down Glasgow primary school attend the primary Elizabeth starts the properties of the school in Santa primary school Barbara fundamental constituents of called quarks when we Alison born. Glasgow and UC Santa Barbara University starts a cannot study them directly. In 2003 my nursery and both collaborators and I achieved a breakthrough in showing Elizabeth and Alison move to that that the theory of how quarks behave could be solved numerically. Research This means that we can now calculate, for example, the masses Council Elizabeth attends of particles like the proton that are made of quarks but which can Advanced 90 US nurseries BA PhD in theoretical fellow at be studied experimentally and this opens the way to the accurate Cambridge particle physics, Glasgow determination of the masses of quarks. Temporary Cambridge Elizabeth born. Take 6 months leave lecturer in with 6 months part-time work. Find 80 Post-doc, Cornell Physics, good childcare close to home University, NY Glasgow Career married John, a I was very lucky to obtain a 5-year fellowship soon after arriving in Glasgow, giving me condensed matter John appointed the flexibility to combine research with motherhood. The fact that my husband is also an physicist John also gets 85 lecturer in Electrical academic has meant that we have been able to take simultaneous sabbaticals and spend two post-doc position at Engineering, Cornell academic years in the USA at different . Our children have enjoyed this enormously. Glasgow 14 Caroline Dean Officer of the Order of the au pair moves British Empire out! Research Elected Fellow I became very interested in how prolonged cold triggers flowering (a process called of Royal Society vernalization) when I was a post-doc in California. Over the last 15 years my lab has Pippa starts used genetics and biochemistry to study the pathways that regulate vernalization secondary requirement and response in Arabidopsis. These involve conserved epigenetic 05 school regulators (from plants to ) and provide a great system to unpick EMBO fellow mechanisms that link environmental changes with chromatin silencing.

Date Associate William starts secondary Career Research Director school - nanny replaced I waited until I had a research group before having children. by au pair Personally I found this a good option as experimental work is not as flexible as managing. Project Leader 00 Pippa starts photo shows a recent trip to meeting in Beijing. Writing, planning etc can be done at all times John Innes Centre kindergarten of day and night. We also accepted the fact William starts that we needed a lot of domestic/childcare kindergarten help so home time meant fun with 95 the kids and not chores. Recently, a Post-Doc Pippa born major perk has been to take the Advanced Genetic whole family to meetings (and Sciences Berkeley, do a bit of exploring at the CA, USA same time). 90 William born - nanny moves in!

PHD York Jonathan and I both move to take up independent positions in , UK BA Hons Biology, York 85

Met Jonathan Jones whilst working at Advanced Genetic Sciences, CA, USA 154 Julia Yeomans 05 Professor of Physics, Oxford

00 Becky born Reader, Oxford

95

EPSRC Rosie born Advanced Fellow 90 Married Peter Hore, Vicky born a Physical Chemist at Oxford

Kate born Research My research is in theoretical and computational 85 soft condensed matter physics, using to understand physical systems. We are interested in liquid Pauline Chan Fellow, St Hilda’s College, Oxford crystals, liquids moving on microstructured surfaces and biological problems such as DNA ejection from viral capsids Lecturer, Southampton and bacterial .

Post-doc, Cornell Career PhD Condensed Matter 80 I am privileged to able to combine a large family and an exciting , Oxford career. Lots of things have helped: an EPSRC Fellowship when the BA Physics, Oxford children were small, the flexibility of academic work, and Peter and I being appointed to permanent jobs at the same university.

16 75 Margaret to 05 University Deputy Head of Department James to Research University My research is in the area of soft matter physics, encompassing both synthetic and increasingly biological systems (including proteins and cells). I am particularly interested in structure-property relationships, and use a variety of characterisation tools in my group. 00 Elected to the Royal Society Career I did not intend to be an academic, but fell in love with research when a Appointed Professor postdoc at (USA) and I swapped research field from Cambridge University metals to . I was (unknowingly) pregnant when I took up my Appointed Reader lectureship in Cambridge, and this was probably good timing as I had Cambridge University job security. My husband, a mathematician, became the primary carer of our children when his fellowship funding ceased and it 95 was clear I was successfully established. But that is not always an easy option for a man, and he has not been able to 90 return to academia. Matthew’s fellowships finish, and he becomes the primary carer

Birth of Margaret

Appointed Lecturer Birth of James Cambridge University 85

Postdoc, Research Cornell Fellow, PhD University, Cambridge Cambridge USA Matthew appointed BA Cambridge 80 Research Fellow, Married Matthew 75 Cambridge

17 Jelena Gavrilovic Senior Lecturer University of East Anglia 05

00

Lecturer, 75% time, University of East Anglia, Norwich

Moved to Norwich

Junior Group Leader, 60% time, 95 Strangeways Research Laboratory Anna born, 7 month Post-doc, 50% time, career break Strangeways Research Laboratory

Post-doc University College London (commuting from Sonia Born, 1 year Cambridge) career break

Post-doc Ecole Normale 90 Superieure, Research Research Assistant PhD Strangeways Research Tony becomes freelance We investigate how Laboratory Cambridge consultant, based in Cambridge Research Technician Strangeways the interactions of cells University College London Research Laboratory Tony working in London Cambridge with their surroundings are Married Tony modulated through the action of cell BSc University College London 80 85 surface and matrix-degrading proteinases, in a number of normal and situations, including wound healing and diabetes.

75 Career I have had some great mentors who helped me to build my career alongside having children. My husband works from home, which has also been hugely beneficial, although he travelled a lot and rather unpredictably when our children were small. At times working part-time was challenging for developing my career but being able to work and spend time with our children when they were young was ideal for me.

18 Eleanor Fellow of the Royal Society marries Benet First grandchild born 05 Paul marries Maddy Research Simon Vice Principal Human genetics is the area that has excited me for more than three decades. From the Edinburgh; Personal Chair earliest days of gene mapping my work has been aimed at understanding the ways EMBO Member in Learning and Teaching in which can disrupt function, and, at the same time, give us insight Eleanor fast stream into normal biology by studying human disease and animal models. Member Human Genetics Commission 00 civil service Career My children were born while I was still a relatively young Fellow of Medical Sciences Paul PhD 1999, UCL; enters postdoc. With a purely research post and good employer, Fellow Royal Society of Edinburgh fast stream civil service it was possible to accommodate maternal duties and Honorary Professor, University of Edinburgh work. A domestically helpful husband, whose mother was a working scientist, has also been a useful asset. Howard Hughes International Eleanor Research Scholar UCL History, BA I am a fan of nursery care, allowing children to be 95 1998; Head of Section socialised and yet not fixated on just one carer. Paul Studies MA My ambitions grew with increasing maturity, MRC Special Appointment Cambridge 1999 Natural so that I could accommodate committee Sciences, work, as well as research and travel, when 90 BA 1996 the children were self-sufficient and I was not yet too ancient. MRC Senior Scientist – group leader

MRC Tenured - full time 85

80 Eleanor to school Postdoctoral Fellow MRC Human Paul to school Genetics Unit – 30 hours pw Beit Fellowship MRC Mammalian Genome Unit, Edinburgh DPhil Genetics, Oxford Eleanor born, nursery January 1977

MS Biochemistry 75 Paul born, nursery January 1976 Northwestern, USA 70 Simon appointed lecturer in Biochemistry, Edinburgh Return to UK, Simon Demonstrator, Oxford BA Cambridge 19 Married Simon, go to , Illinois, S as postdoc Judith Goodship

Professor of 00 05

FRCP

Consultant in Clinical Genetics 95 Nicola born MD Christopher born Newcastle upon Tyne Institute of Child , London 90 Research King’s Fund Travelling Fellowship, As a clinical academic Harvard, USA I see patients in genetic clinics

Institute of Child Health, London as well as doing research. The for referral to Married Tim a genetic clinic are very diverse and so I have identified genes for a number of genetic disorders. However, my main research interest is understanding the causes MRCP 85 of congenital malformation. Newcastle upon Tyne

Met Tim Leicester Career MB, ChB Edinburgh Having met Tim in Newcastle, it was a big decision for me to move to the Institute of Child University Health, London. We both obtained Fellowships to work in Boston, the timing didn't coincide perfectly but we spent six months together there immediately after we married. Tim returned to BSc Hons 80 Newcastle and I to London until in 1989, on completing my MD, I joined Tim in Newcastle. I delayed Physiology starting a family until I had an NHS consultant post and both children started nursery at three Edinburgh months of age. Tim and I are both NHS consultants with research groups. Fortunately we seem to be University able to around each other so that one of us is always at home for Christopher and Nicola. 20 Elizabeth 05 starts Fiona Polack Senior lecturer, York University

Permanent lectureship, York Research I always wanted to research something! I now research systems and 00 software engineering, and particularly engineering complex systems. The work is increasingly interdisciplinary, and brings together state of the , engineering, biology, and Rolling one-year contract lectureship other sciences. 95 Appointed to lectureship Alexander at nursery, Elizabeth at school Career Research associate, rigorous software engineering, York My career is built on luck: a PhD in the Alexander born, November 1993. 3 ’ maternity leave writing only 1980s history group using computers, MSc in Information courses whilst night-feeding running out of contracts just as an MSc processing, York 90 opportunity arose, a workplace nursery One miserable year Elizabeth at nursery opened, an unemployed friend with unemployed childcare experience, etc. Being settled Elizabeth born, Post-doc, projects at September 1988 in York helped childcare and schooling. Essex and York A key player is my husband, who shares all the child care and housework. It takes working on, 85 the work-life balance is ok, with Married Chris two original and enthusiastic children as consolation. PhD, History, Cambridge

80

BA, , Cambridge

21 75 Honorary Professor Chinese Academy of Science: Institute for Semiconductors Gillian Gehring Honorary Professor Shanxi Normal University Linfen Fellowship of European Physical Society Leverhulme Emeritus Fellowship Emeritus Professor O.B.E ‘For Services to Physics and to Equal Opportunities’ 05 Board of Administration European Platform for

Honorary Fellow of St Hugh’s College Oxford Visiting Professorship for 3 95 months in KTH Stockholm

00 Rosalind goes to Honorary DSc University of Salford Trudi goes to University University Professor of Solid State Physics University of Sheffield 90 Research 85 My research is focussed on understanding the 80 Rosalind born microscopic properties of solids. Initially, Trudi born I was a theoretical physicist who interacted closely with experimentalists, but in recent years there 75 has been a dramatic shift as I now an experimental group, studying magnetic semiconductors. Visiting Fellowships Karlsruhe Techniche Hoschule Germany and Institute Laue Langevin Grenoble Career We delayed having our children until we were both well established in our 70 careers; Karl who, is also a physicist, was a Research Fellow in Oxford

a Lecturer in Theoretical Physics, Oxford before moving to the GEC central research labs. When our children were Married Karl Gehring young we had a succession of good nannies and then graduated to au pairs NATO Research Fellow Berkely when they were both at school. About the time of our move to Sheffield Karl became ill and took early retirement so he took over a lot of the child care Leverhulme Reseach Fellowship St Hugh’s College Oxford when our daughters were in their teens. In recent years, since our daughters DPhil Oxford in theoretical Physics 65 have become independent, Karl has come with me on various foreign trips, BSc Physics University which have been great for both of us. of Manchester 22 60 Leslie Ann Goldberg Research My research lies at the intersection of mathematics and computation. The research area is called "computational " and the Appointed Professor at goal is to understand the inherent difficulty of computational Isaac to start secondary school problems. I am particularly interested in understanding the Liverpool University mathematics underlying algorithms for counting and for Short sabbatical in randomly sampling. Berkeley, CA Arthur starts secondary school Reader Paul appointed Reader at Liverpool Career 05 The boys enjoy local My husband and I work in the same department, schools in CA which has made it relatively easy to organise childcare. Instead of having a nanny, we have used after-school clubs and holiday playschemes. The type of work that we do (proving theorems, writing Senior Lecturer, Warwick papers), can easily be done 00 anywhere, at any time, and this flexibility has been helpful.

birth of Isaac Paul becomes a lecturer at Warwick

Lecturer at Warwick University Paul a Postdoctoral Research 95 Fellow at Aston University Senior Member of Technical Staff, Sandia Labs

Research Fellow, Algorithms and Discrete birth of Arthur Maths Dept, Sandia Labs Albuquerque PhD, Computer Science, Edinburgh Paul a Research Fellow at the Univ BA, Computer Science of NM (working at Sandia) and , Rice married Paul University, USA 90 23 “So Good in Black” published 10 Zoological Society of London Scientific Medal

Short sabbatical at Princeton Daughters attending local school in US

Professor of Theoretical 05

Reader in Infectious Research Disease Epidemiology, My main area of interest Dept of Zoology, Oxford is the of in “A Sin of Colour” 00 pathogens, with particular reference published to the infectious disease agents that are Olivia born responsible for malaria, influenza and bacterial meningitis. I use simple mathematical models to generate new hypotheses regarding the processes that determine the population structure of these pathogens. I work closely with laboratory and field scientists both to develop these hypotheses and to test them. “Moonlight into Marzipan” published Isolde born Awarded Wellcome Senior Fellowship in 95 Career Junior Research Fellowship, Merton College, and Department of Zoology, University of Oxford The flexibility of a career in science has certainly allowed me to spend a lot of time with my children, particularly as I am ‘The Glassblower’s Breath’ published able to do much of my work at home. Trying to maintain Awarded Training Fellowship in Biomathematics Married Adrian Hill, Wellcome a career as a novelist at the same time has however been PhD, Imperial College, University of London Principal Research Fellow in the Dept difficult, but writing is a passion that I cannot easily put of Medicine at Oxford ‘Memories of Rain’ published aside. In both cases, it is not so much the work itself but all else that goes along with it (such as travelling to AB Biology, Princeton conferences) that becomes hard to accommodate. University 90 24 Vice - Chancellor of the Julia Goodfellow

Research Chief Executive of My research career has focused on the study of macromolecular structures using both experimental the BBSRC 05 and molecular modelling methods. The biological structures I have studied include long chain Ros starts University sugars, the cornea, proteins and modified . Modifications of such structures alter Henry starts Vice Master of the ability of the macromolecule to interact with other and can be related 00 University to disease states. Birkbeck Head of the Career Department at Birkbeck I have had a traditional academic career combining both research and Professor of Bio-molecular teaching with administrative roles at Birkbeck, University of London. Sciences at Birkbeck Subsequently I became Chief Executive of the and 95 Biological Sciences Research Council, a non-departmental public body that provides funding for biosciences research in UK and in seven sponsored institutes. In 2007, I became vice-chancellor at the University of Kent. I married in 1972 after finishing my undergraduate studies. We have two children and have combined family life with both of us having careers 90 in science. Our daughter is an undergraduate and our Ros my second son is finishing his Post at 85 child was born studies for Stanford CA Lecturer at Birkbeck a PhD. PHD at the Research Fellow at Birkbeck 75 80 Henry my first child was born BSC in Physics at Bristol

Married Peter 70 25 Life Science Coordinator, Claire Grierson Bristol Centre for Parent’s helper Complexity Sciences starts

Reader, University of Bristol 05 Mark retires SEB 6 month Bristol University Women Returners President’s Fellowship to focus on research Medal Erin born, I worked part time for seven months

Bethan Born, Research Lecturer, University I worked part time I have studied of Bristol 00 for seven months development and differentiation throughout my career, enjoying the fantastic tools PhD Plant Molecular Royal Society and resources available in the model Biology, Plant Breeding plant Arabidopsis. I am increasingly Institute, Cambridge Post Doc John Research interdisciplinary, most prominently as a Innes Centre, Fellowship member of the University of Bristol Centre 90 Norwich for Complexity Sciences. This brings insights Met Mark through and fresh ways of thinking to our work on 95 mutual friends in Bristol how cells specialise. Career BSc Microbiology and Microbial Technology, I was already pregnant when I got my lectureship at Bristol, and started the job after maternity leave with Bethan. I worked part time for several months after each of our children was born. This, and an extra six months without teaching that the University gave me when I returned after Erin was born, gave me time to be a hands-on Mum and keep my research going. Being able to work at home, and at 85 any time of day makes it much easier to cope with my caring responsibilities, both for the children, and for Mark who retired through ill health in 2007. We now have a parent’s helper, who helps Mark with the children and the household chores after school. This way I can work full time and still have time to enjoy our family.

26 Helen Fielding IoP Mosely medal Research My research uses to investigate the spectroscopy and dynamics of the excited states Employ a of , small molecules, organic molecules and in the gas-phase and on nanny for RSC Corday-Morgan medal 4 days and metal surfaces. I am also interested in developing ways to control the photophysics and work at home photochemistry of these systems using ultrafast technology. on Fridays Move to University 05 College London with more Career flexible working My husband is currently head of David starts school at LGC in Awarded 5 year Professor, Teddington and we both commute to EPSRC Advanced Chemistry, work for about an , in opposite fellowship KCL directions. We have accepted that RSC Marlow medal we need a lot of childcare to cope Reader, Chemistry, KCL David starts nursery with two careers. Personally, I am RSC Harrison 00 Katherine goes finding that having Fridays at Memorial Prize David goes to day nursery David born to day Katherine starts home is the best compromise. Katherine nursery school born It worked well for me having Change childcare arrangements my children near the 95 – employ a nanny beginning of my research Lecturer, Chemistry, Kings career when my research College London group was smaller and (KCL) I had fewer external commitments. Post-doc Physics, Married Julian

National Physical Laboratory DPhil (Oxford)

Moved with PhD supervisor to Oxford

Started PhD, Cambridge 90 BA Natural Sciences, Chemistry, Cambridge Met Julian at a party in London 27 Elected Fellow of the Ruth Lynden-Bell Royal Society

05 Professor at Queen’s University Belfast, Co-founder of the “Retired” to Cambridge, Atomistic Group Editor, Leverhulme Emeritus Molecular Fellow Physics Sabbatical Newton Trust Lecturer, Cambridge 95 at Boston U 00 Sabbatical at UCLA

Sabbatical at 90 Sabbatical at ANU, Canberra ANU, Canberra 85 80 Research Joint College Lecturer, St John’s and New Hall My current research 75 involves trying to understand the properties of liquids and Jaffe Fellowship from Royal Society Relocated to Cambridge, where solutions using computational modelling. One Fellow and College Lecturer, New Hall Donald elected Chair in project is to compare the properties of model liquid water with properties of liquids made from models which have been modified 70 in well-defined ways. Another current interest is in the solvent properties of ionic liquids. Sabbatical at CalTech Son born Half time lecturer, Sussex University Career Fellow, New Hall Cambridge Originally I was an NMR spectroscopist measuring chemical shifts and coupling Finished PhD at CalTech, USA constants of simple molecules, but I made the transition to a theorist and then a computational chemist partly as my interests changed and partly because it was Started PhD, Cambridge 65 easier to combine theory and computational work with family timetables. My most Daughter born BA, Chemistry, 60 important asset has been a supportive husband who respects my abilities. Cambridge Married Donald 28 Eileen Harkin-Jones

Research My main area of interest is in processing and how processing affects structuring and 05 properties of polymeric materials. I currently lead two large EPSRC funded consortia on polymer nanocomposites (multiscale modelling and process optimization). I am also working on the novel processing of biodegradable tissue scaffolds and hope to expand this area of my research in the coming years. Chair WISE N.I.

Career A high degree of planning and organization, the support of my husband and setting ambitious goals have been the key ingredients in achieving 00 my current academic position. I have been advised on more than Professor, Mechanical one occasion that applying for the next promotion or high profile Engineering, QUB Sophie born grant might be out of reach but I try to go with my gut instinct Senior lecturer, QUB and this has always paid off. Having confidence in your own abilities is very important. No matter how important my work is however, at the end of the day it is my family that gives me the greatest enjoyment in life and this ensures that I keep any work pressures Esso Teaching James born in . Fellowship 95

Postgraduate Certificate in Lecturer in Chemical (PGCE) Queen’s Eng Dept., QUB University Belfast (QUB) Research Assistant, QUB R&D manager, ltd PhD, QUB

Hannah born 85 Elizabeth born 90 Married Eamonn B.Eng (Mechanical), University College Dublin

29 Frances Kirwan Catherine starts 05 university

President of the London Mathematical Society

Elected fellow of Royal Society

9 months sabbatical in 6 months sabbatical in Australia 00

Reader, Oxford 95 All children now at school Research My research is in Geoff born pure mathematics, though some of the motivation for the problems 90 Sarah born I work on comes from theoretical physics. I work in algebraic , mainly on classification problems, studying geometric objects called moduli spaces. Lecturer, Oxford Catherine born Career Post-doc Oxford While combining an academic career with bringing up three children, I have 85 been very lucky to have had extremely supportive colleagues (as well, of course, Married Michael as husband, family and other childcare support). In addition, being a mathematician Post-doc Harvard may well have helped: for my research I have no need of a lab, and relatively little need DPhil, Oxford of a library. Thus in principle, at least, I could do research while feeding a baby or singing lullabies to a toddler (though I am not sure that much of that happened in practice)! BA in Maths, Cambridge 30 80 Marysia Placzek Caitlyn starts school Research Deputy Director, MRC Centre for Developmental Nick starts My research aims to understand the differentiation of cells in a particular and Biomedical Genetics secondary school region of the brain, the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus mediates homeostasis : the control of the body's internal environment. By understanding how it develops, we get clues as to how the 05 hypothalamus functions normally, and how dysfunction in hypothalamic cells to wide-ranging problems, including David starts age-related morbidities. secondary school Career

The flexibility of academic work, and the support Senior Caitlyn born of colleagues have been hugely useful in Lecturer, Professor, Jonathan starts school Sheffield allowing me to juggle my job and the demands Sheffield 00 of a fairly large family of four children. My Nick starts 95 school husband and I run adjacent, but separate Jonathan David starts Nick born school labs - and this gives us the chance to talk to born each other, away from the chaos of home. David born The main reason that the juggling works Independent research scientist: NIMR, Mill for me is that I love both parts of what I Hill, London do - getting huge enjoyment from the lab, and even more enjoyment from the family. 90

Post-doc, , NY, USA 85 PhD London BSc Edinburgh Married Andy

80 31 Rosalind John

Research 05 I have a Senior Lecturer, Cardiff long-standing interest School of Biosicences in mammalian epigenetics Part time MRC Researcher and disease. After a circuitous Career break but entertaining career as a Daughter born, (US and 00 maternity leave UK), I was appointed directly as a Senior Lecturer in Genetics at Cardiff University late in 2003. Maintaining a career and having a family has not been entirely straightforward but any obstacles that I have encountered have been over come by a healthy dose of stubborn determination and the generous support of my colleagues, in particular Professors Azim Surani, Mandy Fisher and the late Anne McLaren. It has also been crucial to Post-doc on Genomic Imprinting at 95 embrace a somewhat nomadic lifestyle to pursue my research goals. Career

Post-doc on Huntington disease Balancing my career and my family can be somewhat challenging. at University of San Francisco Relocating to Cardiff meant starting from scratch, both for myself and my and Stanford, California young daughter. We had to build new friendships and the much needed PhD Biochemistry, Imperial support network for when things do not go according to plan. But things have worked out much better than I could have expected. BSc Biochemistry, Now we just have to learn some Welsh! King’s College London 90 32 Effie Mutasa-Göttgens

Research Both children now The goal of my research is to assist plant breeders in developing improved 'weather-resistant' 05 at school, husband crops. In recent years, my principle focus has been to improve our understanding of given tenure and environmental and physiological control of bolting and flowering in sugar beet. In promoted to reader particular, we have created transgenic models to study the role of the gibberellin during reproductive growth and bolting which, in sugar beet, marks the reproductive transition. Jessica born Career My husband is also a career scientist - fortunatley in biomedical 00 research which is generally better funded than plant science - this, for us, was critical in the early years when the equivalent of all my salary was spent on childcare. Without space for au pairs and local family networks, this was the only way I could keep working and not lose Head of Plant touch with my research. I just about managed to keep my head Biotechnology above water at home and work. It soon became impossible Group, Broom’s Barn for both my husband and I to remain fully competitive - something had to give - I slowed down. Now, the children 95 are older, my husband's career has taken off, mine is getting back on track and worth every sacrifice. Sofia born I love my children to bits! Post Doc. Rothamsted PhD Mycology. Biotechnology Centre, Post Doc, QMW, Research, Cranfield Inst. of Technology University of London Broom’s Barn

85 90 BSc Hons. Applied Biology, Hatfield Polytechnic

33

Senior Lecturer, Manchester University Lewis was born

05 Laurenzo was born

Lecturer, Manchester University Post-doc, Cambridge Alberto appointed to Lectureship at Manchester

Met Alberto (he was a lecturer in 00 at the time) PhD Research My research spans a wide area with particular

BSc in Chemistry emphasis on applying physical Strathclyde University principles within the life-science field. The unifying theme is to relate the physics of self-assembly to functional, microstructural and mechanical properties to gain both process and product control. Of particular current interest is the 95 development of responsive tissue engineering scaffolds.

Career My husband works as an academic in a similar field, and this has helped enormously. He understands the of this job and has helped with the running of my reserach group while I have been on maternity leave. Between us we are managing to juggle both work and 90 home life by working flexibly and sharing commitments equally. 34 Sandra Knapp Isabel starts at Slade School of Art Research My research centres around the description and documentation of plant diversity. I work mainly promotion to 05 - Alfred starts in the New World tropics on the nightshade family (Solanaceae) describing new species Individual Merit in physics at and working out the evolutionary relationships between these organisms. My study researcher Cambridge plants include tomatoes, potatoes, aubergines, and tobacco, so there is a large All three children people element to the science as well. My work takes place in both in the museum at secondary and in the field, and involves going to out of the way places to explore habitats school! and collect plants. 00 Career My career has had periods where I did not work for pay, but my husband has always supported my scientific work and made it possible for me to continue to do what I like best! The Museum has also been an incredibly flexible employer - right down to helping with the children for important Victor starts school events when I had no childcare. James is also a field biologist, and we have often taken the children 95 with us in the field; they say these times have been among the best in their promotion to Principal , even though we Scientific Officer were all working. Isabel starts school; children move Senior Scientific Officer, Department, to school near the Museum The Museum, London

Move to Mississippi State Alfred starts school in Islington University, USA James appointed lecturer at UCL Genetics NATO Fellow, PhD Cornell The Natural birth of Victor University, History 90 New York Museum birth of Isabel Bachelor of , James appointed Entomologist at Pomona College, birth of Mississippi State University 85 Alfred California, USA 80 married James Mallet 35

Elected Fellow of Royal Society

05

Joshua starts secondary school Professor, University of York Reader, University of York Francesca Joshua starts 00 starts secondary school school Lecturer, 95 Francesca University of York starts Research school Post-Doc, Cambridge My research is aimed at understanding the PhD Post-Doc, Cambridge complex network of long-range Bloomington, hormonal signals that regulate shoot Indiana, USA Birth branching in plants. I am particulary interested of Joshua Stephen 90 in integrating gene regulatory networks with hormone becomes freelance Birth transport and whole plant level effects. Married writer of Francesca Stephen 85 Career My career has been helped greatly by the fact that my husband is a freelance writer. Because he works from home in a very flexible way, we have been able to move easily and he has been the main carer for our children. It also worked well for me having the children during my post-doctoral years when my work was more flexible.

36 Susan Lanham-New Research I have worked in the area of and bone health across the life-cycle since 1989. Over the last decade, I have focused my research programme to address three specific areas: (i) what is the interaction between diet and sunlight exposure on vitamin D status in Caucasian and Asian populations; (ii) how might basic dietary manipulation assist the Formation of D3TEX Ltd skeleton in its role of acid:base maintenance? (iii) at what level do physical activity & nutrition work synergistically within an individual’s Promotion to Reader 05 genetic to optimise bone health?

Career Arrival of Kristabel Pamela Nutritional Society Medal Several key events have significantly impacted on my Young Investigators Arrival of Christian Stephen career. In 1988, I moved from the South Coast of Award at European to the North-East of Scotland, to undertake Osteoporosis Conference 00 an MSc in and at the Young Investigators University of Aberdeen, with the tremendous Award at UK Osteoporosis help of an MRC Scholarship. This degree Conference opened so many doors and I haven't looked back since. I am hugely privileged to hold Appointed Lecturer, University of Surrey an academic position at a top Biosciences Young Investigators Award University. Women can successfully combine at World Congress of having a family and a career but you Osteoporosis must be prepared to i) be adaptable; (ii) cope with little sleep and (iii) juggle an 95 infinite number of balls all at the same PhD funded by Nutritional time. But it is great, great fun and Consultative Panel enormously rewarding.

MSc in Human Nutrition and Metabloism, Aberdeen

BSc in sports Science 90 37 Carol Robinson Royal Society Research Professorship Fellow of Royal Society 05 Rosalind Franklin Award Biemann Medal From the American Society for Mass Spectrometry

Royal Society of Chemistry Silver Medal for Mass Spectrometry

Professor of Mass Spectrometry in the Department of Chemistry, Cambridge

00

Research Royal Society University Research My research Fellow, Oxford University interests are in 95 the areas of mass spectrometry, protein folding and assembly. The introduction Training Research Assistant, of electrospray mass spectrometry, Fellowship, University of Oxford enabled the analysis of individual University protein molecules. Using this approach, PhD, Career break Colin started school of Bristol my initial research interest has been to University 90 Paula started school Medical develop procedures through which it is possible of School Stuart starts school to obtain information about the development of Cambridge Birth of Colin MSc, 85 secondary structure during protein folding. Medway University Birth of Paula Birth of Stuart College - of Wales Graduate of Married Martin Career the Royal 80 Society of I decided to take an 8 year career break to be at home with my children during their Chemistry, pre-school years. I thoroughly enjoyed this time and did not have a problem re-entering science after this Final year break. Many women have asked me about the problems of staying out of the field for so long. However basic prize science training remains with you and the latest developments can soon be picked up. Nowadays, staying in touch would be much simpler with web access to journals, webcast scientific meetings etc. The most important thing is to do what feels right at the time and to make it work for you.

38 CBE Chair in Conservation Science and Director, Centre Georgina Mace for Population Biology, Ben to Research 05 University Elected to the Royal Society I work on processes and the determination of extinction risk. Early in my Director of Science, career I undertook detailed studies of individual species, including genetic analyses and Zoological Society of population modelling. Then I developed some general principles for extinction prone London Kate to species and these gradually became new rules that have now become standards for OBE secondary international lists of threatened species, and are increasingly used nationally too. 00 school Head of Group, Institute of More recently I have worked on other aspects of biodiversity assessment. Zoology, London

Career I have been lucky that my work is not lab-based and I can take it with me. For the time my children were small we lived very close to my work, so I regularly did child and office work in short bursts at odd hours! My 95 husband works as a lawyer/planning inspector so he is away for NERC Advanced Fellow, short periods but often at home, writing up case work. Once Institute of Zoology, London our children were all at secondary school, he took over many Pew Fellowship parental duties. A critical period for me was after Kate in Conservation Senior Research was born. With three small children I gave up work, and the Fellow, Institute of Environment but within a year I won a Pew fellowship. This Zoology, London allowed me to work part time and very flexibly for 3 years, and made an enormous Post-doc Emma born 90 Zoological difference. Post-doc Kate born Society of Smithsonian London/UCL Institution, Ben born DPhil Evolutionary Post-doc Washington DC Ecology, Sussex Newcastle University University 85 80 Married Rod Evans BSc Zoology, Liverpool University 75

39 Alison Rodger

Professor, Warwick 05

DSc, Sydney

Founding director of the EPSRC-funded MOAC Doctoral Training Centre

Reader, Warwick

Senior Lecturer, Warwick 00 Lecturer in Medicinal and Rowena born Research Elisabeth born Organic Chemistry, Warwick 95 My research

Glasstone Fellow and Inorganic Chemistry involves development and Fellow of St. Hilda’s College, Oxford application of polarized spectroscopy techniques to study the structure and interactions of biomacromolecules. Most of this work involves cross Unilever Physical Chemistry Fellow, discipline collaborations. It has evolved from being almost St Catherine’s College, Oxford 90 completely theoretical to largely experimental. Overseas Scholar of the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 and Research Career Fellow, Newnham College, Cambridge My career, with hindsight, looks a really logical progression to gain the skills that PhD, Sydney let me do the multidisciplinary research and doctoral training that I currently do. At 85 the time, however, it was driven by a mix of working on things that fascinated me and the need for both my husband Mark and me to get jobs. We decided that our priority was to live in the same house and pretty much took it in turns to choose where to move. We did have 5 years with a Coventry-Reading commute during which time Elisabeth was born; thankfully soon after Rowena was born Mark moved to Warwick University. BSc, Sydney Married Mark 40 Molecular Science Awards Director, Open University Lesley Smart Laura to University 05 Research Member of Council, Royal My research interests have always been in the solid state - single crystal Raman, Society of Chemistry crystallography of small molecules, and latterly the solid state chemistry of ceramic Craig and I get married pigments, new materials and catalysts for industrial processes and fuel cells. Sam to University Senior Lecturer Career 00 I've always felt it vital for a woman to have her own career, but Laura starts juggling work with young children I found very difficult, secondary school particularly with Craig commuting to London. We shared child- and house-care as much as possible, and bought in what help we could - the crche on campus was a godsend, as was the flexibility of an academic career. My post has had a large teaching 95 Sam starts commitment which I love, and it has been a secondary school great thrill to publish books. I was older when Laura starts school I had my children and it wasn't until they grew up a little that I have had more time 90 Craig moves to London for research again. Metropolitan University

Sam starts school Laura born Visiting Professor, University of Victoria, 85 Met my B.C., Canada 80 partner Craig, a physics Lecturer, The Open Sam born lecturer University Lecturer, Royal Craig starts University of Malta SRC Fellow, working in London University of PhD Raman Spectroscopy, Bristol Southampton 75 BSc Chemistry with 70 Mathematics, University of Southampton 41 FRCPsych Anita Thapar 05

Professor of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Cardiff (Full time) Ajay relocates with me to Work part-time 00 Cardiff, reverts to mainly clinical and gets his MD. Arjun is born Senior Lecturer in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Manchester Work part-time , PhD awarded Ajay relocates with me to 95 Manchester and takes up MRC Training Fellowship Maternity leave lecturer post in GP Kirin born. Ajay moves to academic Research MRCPsych. Encouraged to try academic career 90 General Practice in Cardiff. I am a clinical child Work in clinical posts in South-West Wales psychiatrist as well as an academic. following Ajay My research looks into the causes and MBBCh Medicine, Welsh outcomes of child psychiatric disorders such as National School of Medicine Married to Ajay, GP trainee ADHD and depression. We have examined genes that (Now Cardiff University 85 increase risk of ADHD, examined how they affect clinical presentation and work together with environmental factors. We are also looking at adolescent depression.

Career I am married to an academic GP and have two children. In my career I have had a lot of support from my husband. I have also been lucky in having helpful mentors. I have worked part-time when the children were younger.

42 Karen Halliday

Annelie in Research pre-school My research aims to establish how environmental light signals control plant growth, physiology Eben in and development. Above all I would like to understand the molecular events in cells that are pre-school triggered by light receptors in response to light cues. 05 Career Senior Lecturer I have always felt strongly that work must be as rewarding as the other life components. Edinburgh This said I consider myself very fortunate to have a job that explores fundamental processes in biology. Birth of Annelie

To achieve balance between the workplace and home, my husband, Andrew, and I share responsibility for the care of our two young children. In this way we have both continued to develop our careers and the relative flexibility Birth of Eben of academic work has proved very helpful in caring for our young family. Lecturer Bristol 00 Post-Doc Leicester

Post-Doc USDA Berkley USA BSc N. E. London Polytechnic

Podiatrist 90 Travel in South America PhD DPodM Leicester Married Andrew LFH/UCL 95 85

43 OBE Become a grandmother Neva Haites 05 Janna gets - Janna has Vice Principal in Life Elsie married Straun Sciences and Medicine graduates in medicine 00 Janna graduates in and IT Professor in Medical Genetics

95

Reader

Lecturer in Clinical Genetics Senior Research Lecturer 90 My area of research has been in elucidating the role of MRC training fellowship in Elsie starts recombinant DNA technology school genes in both inherited as well as 85 sporadic disease. Diseases from the peripheral neuropathy - Charcot Marie MB ChB Tooth disease to the inherited predisposition Aberdeen to breast and ovarian . More recently I have been interested in how services for genetics Research Assistant, 75 Janna Aberdeen 80 can be provided including the extension of roles to Born Elsie Born Roy takes position Janna starts nurses and genetic counsellors. PhD in Oil industry in school Aberdeen Queensland Career Married Roy My career has been facilitated by the willingness of my husband both to change the for which he worked, and then to set up his Bsc 70 own in the oil industry and hence having stability in Aberdeen. Queensland 44 Ulrike Tillmann Elected to the Royal Society

Research I study geometric objects through their topological invariants. In particular I have worked on the moduli space of surfaces. Though my main work has been motivated by questions arising from and string theory, the mathematics involved is very 05 interesting and exciting in its own right.

Career Miriam starts school Ruth starts school As long as I can think back, I always imagined building an Hannah starts school (academic) career and having a large family. Mathematics not Lectureship Titular Miriam is born being lab-based probably made this much easier. It also made Professor worked out really well that when the children were Awarded 6 year permanent young, I was on a fellowship which meant that I EPSRC Advanced 00 had fairly light and flexible teaching duties. Fellowship Our children went to nursery and later Hannah Ruth is we have had several au pairs to 95 is born born help with the after-school care (and to reinforce the PhD Stanford, USA Take up German spoken at home). Start of Post-Doc in five-year Cambridge Lectureship at Oxford 90

Visiting student in Oxford

Abitur in BA Brandeis, USA Vreden, Germany 85 Met Jonathan 80 45 Puyuan born

05 Weiqing born Lecturer in , School of and , Research engineer, ECIT, Queen’s university, Belfast

Research Associate, Electronics Department, University of York

PhD in Communications, Electronics Department, University of York Li Zhang Research Scientist in Agilent Technology Ltd China Software Centre 00 MEng Electronics, Beijing University of Married Xiaocheng Research Aeronautics and Astronautics, China My research BSc Electronics, Beijing University of interests are in the area of Aeronautics and Astronautics, China broadband communications, 95 with emphasis on developing novel signal processing techniques to improve both the bandwidth and power efficiency of the overall system.

Career I started my career as a lecturer in August 2004. After four years, I have set up my own research group with two RAs and three PhD students. At 90 the same time, I have also set up my family. I have a three-year-old and a one-year-old boy. Both of them enjoy their time at nursery from Monday to Friday and this allows me to concentrate on my work. The right balance between work and family life is achieved with the help of the flexibility of academic work and of course the help from my husband, who is also working in academia.

46 Alexander got married and we now have a 05 beautiful grand-daughter Research My research has focussed on understanding biological processes through analysing protein structure, function and evolution using computational approaches. Although I enjoyed experimental work, I Director, EBI, gained most pleasure from analysing and integrating data to characterise, rationalise and ultimately Cambridge try to predict structure and function, using knowledge-based approaches. Recently at EBI, I have enjoyed the challenges presented by high throughput biology in handling the deluge of data and attempting to plan for the future. It has been a privilege to participate in the genomic revolution 00 which has radically changed and increased our understanding of basic biology.

Career Throughout my career, my greatest pleasure has been in working with students, post-docs and colleagues, seeing them develop and enjoying the excellent science they generate. My priorities (work-life balance) tend to be Bernal Chair UCL/Birkbeck driven by necessity, with home or work taking precedence 95 according to demands! Moving labs (from London to Oxford to London to Cambridge) has always been difficult, but ultimately rewarding Chair, UCL and in retrospect, the right way Returned to full Half-time lectureship for me. time work at Birkbeck 90 Both children left home almost 85 immediately after university. BBSRC fellowship, part time, Birkbeck Our son became a pilot and our daughter a metrologist. 80 Day nanny starts, who continued to look after the children (& me) until they went to University! Went part-time (2 days per week) Birth of Hazel

75 Birth of Alexander Post-doc, Oxford PhD , NIMR Alan starts work in commercial software development. We settled in Hemel Hempstead, where we have lived ever since. BSc Physics, Nottingham University 70 Married fellow student Alan Thornton 47 Ruth Gregory Awarded IOP Maxwell Medal for contributions to Theoretical Physics John writes first Professor short symphony, Reader at Centre for 05 performed informally Particle Theory, Durham by Durham Sinfonietta Divorced

00 Research Royal Society URF, Durham My research is aimed at Centre for Particle Theory trying to understand the PPARC Advanced Fellowship interplay between , the construct and what we see. Although at DAMTP, University of 95 Moved to Durham Cambridge simplistically we have this already in the form of or equations, in , the Robert R. MacCormick Fellow, route between this formalism and what we see is Institute, University Relocated to UK for of Chicago personal reasons more subtle. I explore the impact of extra dimensions Postdoctoral on our four dimensional world, and also the possible Research, 90 ways in which and particle physics interact in the NASA/ Son, John born (5 kilos!!) early . I am particularly interested in ways of modifying Astrophysics Married gravity to get unexpected large scale phenomena. Center, IL, USA PhD in Theoretical Physics, Career DAMTP and Trinity College, I have been very fortunate in having several options to choose from, and have Cambridge always prioritized my home life in these choices. Unfortunately, my experience has been that family and career can only mix for a woman if their partner is extremely supportive. I think it is incredibly difficult to operate at your natural level BA in Mathematics, Trinity 85 as a woman and Mother, as you are hampered by having significantly less time and College, Cambridge more demands on it than your male peers, but that only makes it all the more satisfying!

48 Professor Penny Gowland 05

Research Reader I teach in a physics department, but my research involves developing quantitative Magnetic Resonance Imaging techniques to solve biomedical problems. I am particular interested in using ultrahigh field MRI to study how the brain responds Senior Lecturer to stimulation. I am also very interested in using MRI to learn more about 00 gastrointestinal function and fetal development.

Career Katie born My husband is well established and Kings College in London whilst I am settled in Nottingham. Fortunately he has been able to work at home one day a week and I am on an 80% contact. My mother retired when our first child was born and has helped with childcare 2 days a week ever since. My mother is even more useful now since I do a lot of traveling, and with Paul in London if my mother wasn’t around we 95 would need an au pair. Sometimes Paul and I hardly see each other, but the children have good roots in Joanna born Nottingham and are confident and self-sufficient. Everything works out because academic life is Lecturer, University of Nottingham flexible and fun, my family and colleagues Temporary lecturer, are supportive, and I have learnt not to Married Paul worry about the future. University of Nottingham Post-doc, University of Nottingham Paul appointed lecturer at Kings College, London PhD Institute of Cancer Research 90 MSc Medical Physics, Middlesex Paul goes on round Hospital Medical School the world trip BSc and Physics, UCL

85 Met Paul, who also works MRI of my daughter doing the splits. in

49 Helen Hailes

Reader in Chemical Biology at UCL 05

Senior Lecturer in Chemistry at UCL

Research 00 My research is focused on the use of Birth of Samuel and synthetic organic chemistry to maternity leave Lecturer in Chemistry at UCL 95 probe and solve biological problems. Several projects involve the development of new synthetic strategies, including the use of biocatalysts, to construct molecules with improved Started post doctoral research biological properties. BA Chemistry, at Imperial College London Cambridge Post-doctoral research, Career Graduated and Cambridge Birth of Rebekah and I have managed my career by being organised, started a Ph.D maternity leave Completed Ph.D in Biological in Biological having a supportive husband, good childcare and Chemistry, Cambridge Chemistry Steve appointed Lecturer in understanding children! I had my first child Rebekah, Computer Science at UCL while doing postdoctoral research and before 85 Steve started a Post-Doctoral establishing an independent research career, and then Married Steve 90 Samuel in the early years of my lectureship. We both Met my husband to position at University College juggled full time lecturing, research, and bringing up the be Stephen Hailes, London Computer Scientist children and despite the hard work and long hours the relative flexibility of academic life has helped.

50 Parveen Yaqoob Return to work in August at 80%; Aden starts nursery Research Aden born 28th December My research investigates the influence of omega-3 fatty acids on maternal and infant immunity, and probiotics on gut health and immunity. 05 Career Reader, University Having waited until I had an established research group before of Reading starting a family, I had to have IVF to have Aden at 38. Philip is Philip becomes at the peak of his career and is away a lot, so childcare Lecturer, University Professor of is mainly my responsibility. I often have to turn of Reading Nutritional down invitations to speak at conferences, Immunology at Post-Doc, University of but because we work in the same Southampton Southampton field, there are occasions when we 00 are both invited to the same Post-Doc, University meeting and take Aden of Oxford along with us. 95 Philip takes up a lectureship at DPhil Biochemistry, the University of BA Physiological Sciences, University of Oxford Southampton University of Oxford 90 Meet my partner, Philip, a visiting Research Fellow in the same lab

85

51 Yilin went to primary school Birth of Yiyang 05

Lecturer in Physics, York

Birth of Yilin

Married Yongbing (Lecturer then, now a Professor in Post-doc University of York Electronics) Jing Wu PhD, Exeter 00 Research My research is to understand the ultimate limit in the reversal speed of a 95 magnetic element by stroboscopic investigation R & D Engineer, China of spin in femtosecond time domain. The BSc Sichuan University, China method I use is femtosecond/picosecond laser microscopy and 90 the application is to determine the maximum working frequency of magnetic storage system.

Career Choosing between careers and families has never come to my . In reality, 85 the fact that Yongbing is also an academia in York is very helpful in my career development. We always take turns in childcare for our two children, though I share a slightly higher . The relative flexibility of academic jobs has indeed proved very helpful in caring for my children. We are also very grateful to our parents on both sides, who came to the UK a couple of times and looked after the two grandchildren in turn over the last 5 years.

52 Jane Hill Matthew starts school & child- Senior minder Research Lecturer York I examine how species (mainly butterflies) are affected by climate warming and habitat destruction. I work in Britain and the tropics. I am particularly interested in understanding how species respond to environmental changes, and the consequences of these 05 biodiversity changes. Matthew is born & starts nursery Career Keith moves I had Matthew once both my husband (also an ecologist) and I had Lecturer York. to Leeds permanent jobs close to one another. Until then, I had various post-doc contracts, most of which involved extensive Jing Wu periods of fieldwork and lots of commuting. Keith Post-Doc and I are both academics and so we are quite Durham 00 flexible in terms of childcare, and we both continue to work full-time. Fieldwork has been curtailed but I suspect this Post-Doc 95 would have happened anyway as Leeds I spend more time managing my Keith moves Post-Doc research group, and Matthew to Durham Liverpool John comes with us on trips PhD Bangor Moores to Borneo. 90 Keith moves to Edinburgh Napier

MSc Manchester BSc Manchester 85 80 Met Keith Hamer as an Under-Graduate 53

05

Professor, Imperial College London Elderly mum needs more help

Alex starts school, nanny leaves Professor, King’s College London Reader, Imperial College London Anna starts school Birth of Anna, full time 00 with excellent after- 95 nanny employed Birth of Alex school club and Research Vernon moves to Imperial holiday scheme Lecturer, Imperial College London I became College London Married Vernon, fascinated by Chemistry Professor, the way metals alter 90 University of Durham the reactivity of organic molecules when I was an undergraduate. A passion to learn more has Lecturer, University taken me on an exciting journey, highlights of which include the of Warwick discovery of new chemical reactions, the creation of a wide range of new chemical Post-doc, ETH compounds, and explorations of the inner workings of key catalytic processes. Zürich 85 Career DPhil Oxford I have enjoyed wonderful support from Vernon, who fully understands the rewards and demands

BA associated with academic life. From a practical point of view, we have chosen to 'invest' in top- Cambridge quality childcare and domestic help, and we have ensured that our home, our work-places and our children's school are all within a short walk of each other.

54 Helen Osborn Research My research interests lie at the Chemistry-Biology interface. In particular we are developing treatments for diseases that benefit from increased selectivity compared with more traditional . Diseases of interest include cancer, influenza and bacterial infections, and we Promoted to are particularly interested in developing -based Professor of Biomedicinal therapies Promoted Appointed as Chemistry, School to Reader in Director of of Pharmacy, Career Medicinal Pharmaceutical University of Chemistry, School Maintaining a healthy work-family balance has Chemistry, School Reading always been important to me and with the of Chemistry, of Pharmacy, support of family, colleagues and friends I University of University of have been able to combine an academic Reading Reading 05 career with the joy of motherhood Daughter starts and family life. I find my daily Son starts primary school life is always busy and is often 00 Daughter primary school challenging but I would not born have it any other way.

Son born Lectureship in Organic Chemistry at the School of Chemistry, University of Reading

Post-doc Fellowship Chemistry Got married to Tariq Department, University of Cambridge 95 Got engaged PhD in Organic Chemistry at the to Tariq University of Bristol

BA Chemistry, University of Oxford

90 Met Tariq 55 Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Award Samuel starts nursery Elected, Fellow, Optical Society of America Birth of Peter (Chaim-Pinhas)

05 Birth of Samuel (Shmuel-Daniel)

Elected Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering

Awarded IoP Paterson Medal

Promoted to Professor, Dept of Electronic & Met Anatoly Zayats Electrical Engineering, UCL 00 Research Royal Society University Research My research is in Fellowship awarded (UCL), held 1993-2003 optical communications Principal Systems Engineer, Nortel Networks (formerly STC/STL) and networks - to understand the Post-doctoral fellowship, General Physics 95 limits to information transmission in optical fibres Institute, USSR , Moscow and build systems and networks to approach these limits. PhD in Electronic & Electrical Engineering, UCL This includes the study of networks, optical pulse propagation as 90 limited by fibre nonlinearities and dispersion, and new optical materials and devices.

Career I have benefited hugely by having inspiring and supportive mentors, and superb 85 students and colleagues, and this helped me build a critical mass in my research. The arrival of children has been professionally disruptive, especially as Anatoly is a busy physics professor at Queen's University, Belfast and is frequently away. Having parents nearby, an excellent nanny, little sleep and home help have all proved key to being able to maintain the success of my lab. My boys are a great source of inspiration, joy and fulfillment.

56 Matthew starts school 05 Charlotte Research starts school Professor of , I began my graduate work in pure mathematics, but as my career has progressed University of Oxford Matthew born, we I have become increasingly interested in applications. Now, although I am still get an au pair drawn to the beauty of mathematical structures, much of my work is motivated by questions in mathematical . I am particularly interested in developing models for populations that evolve in spatial continua. Charlotte born EPSRC Advanced 00 Fellowship Career I had an established career before having children. This was not really a conscious decision, but it has worked Lecturer, University of Oxford very well. Both children started full-time nursery Reader, Queen at three months and since just before Matthew Mary and Westfield Married Lionel was born we have had an au pair. Crucially, my College London husband has always been extremely supportive. We do both work rather long hours, but, because our time at work is uninterrupted, 95 when we are at home we can focus on having fun with the kids. We really have the best of both worlds.

Neyman Assistant Professor, UC Berkeley Lionel appointed to lectureship in Oxford SERC postdoctoral Fellowship Cambridge

Lectureship in Edinburgh DPhil, University of Oxford 90 Junior Research BA Mathematics, Fellowship, Oxford University of Oxford Visiting student, McGill University 85 Met Lionel 57 Alicia Hidalgo Daniel gets a snake

Natalia and Daniel ski 05 down black runs Philip moves to Aston University in Birmingham

Senior Lecturer, University Philip moves to Warwick University with a of Birmingham Royal Society Industrial Fellowship

EMBO Young Investigator Award Philip takes major child-care role while I move my lab to Birmingham

00 Philip joins Scientific Generics in Cambridge Research Natalia learns to ski, Daniel learns to walk How is a brain made? while in the Alps I wonder how it is that while a Wellcome Trust Career Development Fellow, brain grows during development, Department of Genetics, the number of cells is controlled so as University of Cambridge Daniel is born to achieve characteristic shape, volume and regional cell densities, while at the 95 same time all the innumerable and complex Post-doc, Wellcome CR-UK Institute Philip moves to Melles axonal circuits are established. I would like to (now ), Cambridge, UK Griot in Cambridge understand how structure and function of the brain Post-doc, Universidad Natalia is born come together during development and evolution. BSC, Universidad Autónoma de , Spain I play major child-care role as Complutense de PhD, University Philip commutes daily to London Career Madrid, Spain of Oxford A sense of enjoyment about life, willingness to

Meet Philip Marry work very hard in the lab and at home, a passionate love of 90 Philip does post-doc 85 Davies, Philip science and not needing much sleep, has driven me. I at the Instituto de mechanical if having a family and science happen to occur at the same time engineer, at Energía Solar, Madrid Oxford in life, I would go for both. Philip and I tried as much as possible to make career choices that would help us both. We have always shared childcare and domestic duties, and have lots of fun with the kids, playing lots and doing together sports, art and holidays that everyone enjoys. 58 Helen Arthur British Heart Foundation Senior Basic Science Research Fellow Senior Lecturer

Research British Heart Foundation Jacob I am investigating how two growth factor receptors (endoglin and Tgfbr2) Walton Johnson Lecturer 05 regulate the form and function of the cardiovasculature in development and Michael goes to University disease. I use mouse genetics to explore the role of these key receptors in Claire goes to endothelial cells and in circulating vascular repair cells. Wellcome Trust 00 University Re-entry Fellowship Career Pre-children, I worked on DNA repair and reached lecturer status Postdoc at Newcastle University. I took an extensive career break when my children were young. After that, a Wellcome Trust Re-entry Fellowship helped me to re-establish a research 95 Stephen starts school career, in a completely new field. A 10 year career break from scientific research has given me an extra appreciation of how rewarding this job is! Part-time lecturer

Began career break 90 Stephen born

Michael born Teaching demonstrator, 85 Newcastle University PhD Genetics, Claire born Nottingham Lecturer BSc Genetics, Liverpool Married Wallace 80 Arthur, an Moved to Newcastle evolutionary upon Tyne biologist 75 (and stayed!)

59 Kate Storey Professor,

Alexander to University Reader, University of Dundee Senior Lecturer, 05 University of Dundee

MRC Senior Non-clinical Research Fellow, University of Dundee

University Lecturer, Relocated to Scotland, Fellow of ChristChurch, Jonathan working at the Mammal Research University of Oxford Unit, St Andrews University Departmental Lecturer 00 and as a self-employed (full- time), University ecological consultant of Oxford Research 95 I am researching the regulation of Postdoctoral Researcher neural differentiation (part-time), University in embryos and embryonic Harkness Fellowship, of Oxford stem cells. I aim to integrate Postdoctoral Research, University of California different levels of analysis, from signalling pathways to control and 90 Maternity leave Emma born epigenetic modification to understand better Alexander born - career break to 1989 the differentiated cell state. PHD Kings College, University of Cambridge Jonathan appointed to run research vessel Song of the Career BSc Neurobiology, Whale for International Fund for My partner is at sea for 3 months/year and childcare in the early Animal Welfare years was largely my responsibility. I found post-doctoral research quite flexible and have taken a career break and worked part-time during this 85 period. My first independent posts had high teaching demands and our move to Met my partner, Jonathan Scotland, which was good for both our careers, allowed me to focus on research. Gordon, Marine Biologist 60 Katharine Reid Professor Research I study the interaction of light with isolated molecules in order to determine the mechanisms Madeleine starts school by which energy can redistribute prior to fragmentation, rearrangement, or chemical 05 reaction. I use laser light which has useful controllable properties such as intensity, frequency, pulse duration and polarization in order to study the extent to which Reader these affect the interaction. My research is very fundamental in nature, but Madeleine starts nursery full time carries with it the tools with which chemical reactions might be steered to a Madeleine born and controlled outcome in future. maternity leave 00 Bought a house with Career my partner Jeremy I found it very important to establish myself as a successful (also an academic at Nottingham) before involving either a permanent partner or children in my life. This meant that when my daughter was born (when I was nearly 37) I had no qualms about making her my number 1 priority while being assured that my career, by then established, would continue. My partner and I share childcare and other domestic duties 50/50 which I think Lectureship, University of Nottingham is vital. We are very lucky in that we work in the same 95 place so don't have to deal with any commuting nightmares.

SERC Advanced Fellowship, University of Nottingham

SERC/NATO fellowship, , California 90

DPhil University of Sussex

BSc University of Sussex

85 61 Naomi Chayen Visiting Professorship, Elected President of the International International Organisation for Biological Crystallization Professor Imperial College London 05

Permanent position Imperial College London 00 Principal Research Fellow

Research Fellow Imperial Started working full-time College (4 days a week) Ariella started school, I started 95 working full-time Research 90 Birth of Ariella, 6 Nanny months maternity I specialize in crystallization of moves in leave proteins, developing a fundamental Birth of Raphael starts Raphael, school understanding of the crystallization 6 months process and harnessing this to design maternity of producing crystals for leave rational drug design. The research also involves crystallization on the International 85 Space Station. Several of my research outputs Post Doc Imperial College London (half-time) have been patented and commercialized. PhD Brunel University UK Career A combination of several factors has enabled me to MSc HU combine my career with raising children. Caring for the children is shared with my husband, a live in nanny BPharm Hebrew Married Jeremy makes travel possible and the ability to work part time and University Jerusalem 80 (Lawyer) gradually build up to full time have made it possible for me. 62 Clare Elwell Research I'm a Medical Physicist developing non invasive optical systems for measuring blood and oxygen levels in the human body. I lead a number of interdisciplinary teams using these systems to monitor brain damage in infants and adults undergoing intensive care, to characterise neurodevelopment in young children and to measure muscle oxygenation levels in exercising athletes.

Career Professor, UCL Julia starts Whilst my career has always been very important to me, I never secondary school wanted to pursue it at the expense of time with my young Senior Lecturer, UCL family. For this reason I have worked part time since Julia Increase my hours to was born. My husband has a demanding job and so we 4 days a week have always appreciated the need for good childcare, 05 Tim makes Partner family support and regular holidays. I'm a firm Increase nanny’s hours believer that, with hard work and focus, a career 00 Julia starts school – get a to 4 days a week in academia can provide for a rewarding part time daily nanny Lecturer, UCL work-life balance. Joseph born Joseph starts school Return to work 3 days a week

MRC Fellowship, UCL Julia born

PhD, UCL International Young Scientist Award 95

Tim qualifies as a MPhil, UCL Chartered Accountant Move to London as Research Fellow at UCL Married Tim Clinical Physicist at Hospital in Exeter BSc Physics with 90 Tim starts work in London Medical Physics Meet Tim in Exeter 63 Herchel Smith Professor of Molecular Biology, Gurdon Institute and Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge

Royal Society Rosalind Franklin Award

Senior Group Leader, Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge 05

William Bate Hardy Prize Hannah starts school

Elected Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences

BSCB Hooke Medal

Elected Member of EMBO

00 Research Hannah is born One of the Wellcome Trust Senior Fellow , Gurdon 95 Hannah starts at goals of research Institute, University of Cambridge nursery in neurobiology is to My partner, Jim repair or regenerate neurons Haseloff, and I move to after damage to the brain or spinal cord. Cambridge, UK, to take up Post-Doctoral Fellow, 90 Neurons are produced by multipotent neural stem independent positions Harvard, USA cells that can both self-renew and simultaneously PHD, MRC LMB, generate different types of neurons. My research aims to University of Cambridge identify the genes that specify the characteristic behaviours of these neural cells. It may then become possible to induce stem cells to become neurons at will, or induce neurons to regenerate.

85 Career Jim and I did not consider having children until we had established our own research groups and my Fellowship had been renewed. We have no childcare help at home and our families live in the US and Australia. It has not been easy juggling two careers and BA Oxford family life, but with a supportive lab and very little sleep, it has been possible.

64 Reader at Cambridge Jane Clarke Senior Fellowship renewed 05 Research

We study the folding of families of structurally-related proteins, diverse Welcome Trust Senior David leaves home in sequence and function. We are particularly interested in the folding, Research Fellowship to go to University function and evolution of large multidomain proteins that have a mechanical role in the cell. 00 Welcome Trust Career Development Career Fellowship, Chemistry Department, When in Atlanta I couldn't teach, so I went to "back University of Cambridge to school" and became fascinated with proteins. Post doctoral position Hannah leaves home Consequently, just after my 40th birthday I MRC Centre for Protein to go to University switched careers and started a PhD. I was Engineering, Cambridge always the main carer for the children, but it Awarded PhD is actually possible to do research 9-5, you 95 just have to be incredibly organised. My message? There are many routes to a Start PhD at Cambridge scientific career. University (Chemistry) 90 Family move back to UK Part time MSc (Applied (Hannah now in secondary Biology) At Institute of school, David in junior school) Technology (Georgia Tech)

Secondary school teacher (Biology and Chemistry) Family moves to Atlanta, Comprehensive schools 85 Georgia, as Chris gets a David born in Leicestershire, London job in the office there and Essex 80

Hannah born, work part time PGCE BA York, Cambridge Biochemistry

Married Chris 75 70 (banker) 65 Dian Donnai Paul retired, and Melissa married Dan CBE 05 Carter Lecturer and Medallist, CGS Professor of Medical Genetics, University of Manchester FMedSci President of the Clinical Genetics Society 00 Melissa an NHS Manager, 95 Tom a History Teacher

Honorary Professor, University of Manchester Melissa and Tom to University

FRCP 85 90

Consultant Research Clinical Geneticist, My research is into Manchester 80 syndromes associated with physical and developmental Paul appointed Consultant disabilities. My group has elucidated the Obstetrician and Gynaecologist genetic mechanisms underlying several disorders. We have a particular interest in mosaicism and in genotype- correlation in Williams syndrome. Close integration of Tom born April my clinical and academic work is important since we aim to rapidly translate research findings into clinical practice. Member of the 75 Royal Colleges of MB.BS Career University (MRCP) Melissa born December We have somehow managed a 2-career, 2-children partnership, not of London, Paul appointed as Senior St Mary’s Registrar in Manchester by careful planning but by taking opportunities when they arose. In Hospital 70 earlier years our moves were decided by my husband's career but after Paul appointed as Registrar in Medical our children were at school the whole family have been supportive of the O&G in Sheffield School increasing demands of my career. Married Paul Donnai 66 Nancy Papalopulu

Research Theme Leader of Developmental Joanna starts Research Biology in Manchester secondary school We are studying the function and regulation of genes that instruct Move to Manchester to take up Marieta starts simple ectodermal cells to become neurons during the formation of Professorship at Faculty of Life Sciences secondary school the embryo. These genes tend to be conserved in different species, Wellcome Trust Senior Research including humans, but we are studying the frog embryo, because Fellowship renewed 05 Joanna moves to an all-girls it is easier to observe and manipulate. school; end of childcare

Career Marieta moves to an all-girls school I love my job and look forward to going to the lab each Joanna starts school morning. My husband is also a scientist and he understands Wellcome Trust Senior Last nanny leaves Research Fellow and after-school the pressures of academic research. We lead separate 00 help employed teams but we continuously juggle responsibilities between us, at work and home. I had my children at Married Enrique a time that was critical for my career. In the early Marieta starts school years, we invested heavily in good childcare, which enabled me to take minimal career breaks. These days, the lab being a vibrant place full of young Wellcome Trust Career Joanna is born, Nanny people, the children actually ask to come to Development Fellow, Gurdon takes over childcare at Institute, Cambridge the lab with us! 6 weeks 95 Marieta is born Post-Doc, Salk Institute, California, USA Met Enrique at a Cold Spring Harbour Course, NY 90

University Diploma PhD NIMR, London in Greece 85

80 67 Index

Amtmann, Anna...... University of Glasgow 4 Gavrilovic, Jelena ...... University of East Anglia 18 Armitage, Judith...... University of Oxford 7 Gehring, Gillian ...... University of Sheffield 22 Arthur, Helen...... University of Newcastle 59 Gibson, Sue ...... Imperial College London 54 Bayvel, Polina...... University College London 56 Goldberg, Leslie Ann...... 23 Beggs, Jean ...... University of Edinburgh 12 Goodfellow, Julia ...... University of Kent 25 Brand, Andrea ...... University of Cambridge 64 Goodship, Judith ...... University of Newcastle 20 Bushby, Kate...... University of Newcastle 6 Gowland, Penny ...... University of Nottingham 49 Carmalt, Claire...... University College London 10 Gregory, Ruth ...... University of Durham 48 Chayen, Naomi...... Imperial College London 62 Grierson, Claire ...... University of Bristol 26 Clarke, Jane ...... University of Cambridge 65 Gupta, Sunetera...... University of Oxford 24 Cooper-Sarkar, Amanda...... University of Oxford 13 Hailes, Helen ...... University College London 50 Davies, Christine...... University of Glasgow 14 Haites, Neva ...... University of Aberdeen 44 Day, Sally...... University College London 8 Halliday, Karen ...... University of Edinburgh 43 Dean, Caroline ...... John Innes Centre, Norwich 15 Harkin-Jones, Eileen...... Queens University, Belfast 29 Donald, Athene...... University of Cambridge 17 Hidalgo, Alicia...... University of Birmingham 58 Donnai, Dian ...... University of Manchester 66 Hill, Jane...... University of York 53 Elwell, Clare...... University College London 63 Holness, Marian ...... University of Cambridge 9 Etheridge, Alison...... University of Oxford 57 Jefferies, Beth...... University of York 5 Fielding, Helen...... University College London 27 John, Rosalind...... University of Cardiff 32 Kirwan, Frances...... University of Oxford 30 Thornton, Janet ...... European Bioinformatics Institute, Cambridge 47 Knapp, Sandra...... Natural History Museum, London 35 Tillmann, Ulrike ...... University of Oxford 45 Lanham-New, Susan...... University of Surrey 37 van Heyningen, Veronica ...... MRC Human Genetics Unit, Edinburgh 19 Leyser, Ottoline...... University of York 36 Wu, Jing...... University of York 52 Lynden-Bell, Ruth..... Queens University Belfast / University of Cambridge 28 Yaqoob, Parveen ...... University of Reading 51 Mace, Georgina...... Imperial College London 39 Yeomans, Julia ...... University of Oxford 16 Miller, Aline ...... University of Manchester 34 Zhang, Li...... University of Leeds 46 Monaghan, Pat...... University of Glasgow 11 Mutasa-Gšttgens, Effie...... Broom's Barn, Bury St. Edmunds 33 Osborn, Helen ...... University of Reading 55 Papalopulu, Nancy ...... University of Manchester 67 Placzek, Marysia ...... University of Sheffield 31 Polack, Fiona...... University of York 21 Reid, Katharine...... University of Nottingham 61 Robinson, Carol ...... University of Cambridge 38 Rodger, Alison...... University of Warwick 40 Smart, Lesley...... Open University 41 Storey, Kate ...... University of Dundee 60 Thapar, Anita...... University of Cardiff 42 Printed on recycled paper